I confess to being a big Superhero fan, and I try to catch
most, if not all of the movies, and many of the TV shows as well. As a
youngster, I read mostly the DC comics, but I knew who the Marvel heroes were
and occasionally read those too. I have always loved seeing my heroes portrayed
on screen (even the cartoons!) From the old Batman TV series in the sixties to
the current crop of blockbusters, I have remained a fan, so I couldn’t resist
checking out these shows. Even if you’re not a fan of the genre, you’ve
probably been bombarded by ads for the two most recent releases. Having seen
both, here are my reviews.
I’ve seen all the Avengers movies, and although Vision and
the Scarlet Witch are not particularly favorites, I was intrigued by the
trailers of WandaVision. (Or at least until I had seen the exact same
trailer on FB about 157 times!) After 2 episodes, I was convinced that this was
the dumbest thing I had ever seen on television (which is saying a lot
considering some of the current shows on network TV). I almost quit, but there
were a few commentators on social media who insisted that the show would get
better, so I decided to stick with it for at least a few more episodes. I’m
glad I did.
By the end of the next two, I was hooked. It did get better.
A lot better. Without spoiling too
much, it is a very different kind of Superhero show. Primarily, it’s about
grief and losing someone you love. It seems even superheroes have to deal with
that sort of thing. (Spiderman: Far From
Home also shares this theme to a degree.) Beginning with a somewhat silly
sit-com premise, the show evolves into a complex multi-layered narrative that I
found fascinating. And in true superhero form, it builds toward a big showdown
where our hero must defeat the villain, in this case one you may not have seen
coming.
Overall, the series was very well done, and I thoroughly
enjoyed it! Marvel fans should definitely check this one out. (As for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, I
will let you know.)
As a DC guy, I was somewhat disappointed in Batman
v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the theatrical release of Justice
League. I enjoyed both, but like most fans, felt they could have been
better. The extended version of Batman v
Superman was a vast improvement over the original version and did manage to
fill in some of the obvious plot holes, and if you’ve read my previous blogs,
you may remember I had high praise for Ben Affleck’s Batman. With that in mind,
I was very much looking forward to the release of the Snyder cut of Justice League. I was hoping for a more
cohesive narrative and a more serious tone. I was not disappointed!
Again, without spoilers, the Snyder Cut is well worth the
four hours viewing time. Every character gets a more complete backstory,
especially Cyborg, and we get the true villain who was missing from the
original. Superman gets his story arc restored (and gets to wear the cool black
suit), and we get another, much longer look at the Knightmare scenario to come. (Sadly, we may never get the third
Justice League movie which would have continued this storyline.)
Overall, the movie is very different than the theatrical
version. The tone is darker, the situation more grim, and the battle more epic.
This version is also more emotional. Barry and his father, Barry and Iris,
Victor and his father, Clark and his mother, Clark and Lois, etc. We get to see
a more personal side of each hero, and it make us love them even more. DC fans
especially should not miss this one!
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